For reasons of endurance, commonly-encountered helicopters may possess a plurality of fuel tanks together with a baggage hold for storing small items of equipment.
In such apparatuses, it is common for the tanks and the hold to be situated behind the passenger cabin. In addition, for practical reasons, the floor of the baggage hold may be situated level with the floor of the passenger cabin, thus making it possible for the passengers to access the baggage.
An architectural configuration that makes it possible to satisfy the above requirements consists in subdividing the tanks into two groups, a top group disposed above the hold and a bottom group placed beneath it.
Nevertheless, whatever their positions, the fuel tanks must comply with the requirements of aviation regulations concerning safety.
In particular, the mass of fuel contained in the top group of tanks must not, in the event of a crash, exert thrust on the structural elements of the helicopter in such a manner as to severely injure any surviving passengers.
In addition, the tanks must avoid being punctured so that fuel is not spread over the hot parts of the helicopter since that could cause a fire.